Breathing Exercises

Table of Contents

Sometimes we are unable to perform the necessary sports activities because we suffer from shortness of breath. Therefore, breathing exercises enable us to perform our sports activities more comfortably. Of course, the first step before breathing exercises is to reduce or even quit smoking. In addition, we should eat a balanced, regular diet and drink plenty of water. So why should we do breathing exercises?

To increase our lung functions,
To breathe more easily,
To improve the quality of life,
To reduce pain if experiencing,
To get a better sleep.

Breathing exercises are not only used for shortness of breath. It is used in many lung diseases such as COPD. Now let’s look at a few of the breathing exercises.

PURSED-LIP RESPIRATORY

We breathe deeply through our nose and exhale slowly, pursing our lips, as if whistling. We must continue this process until we are out of breath. Prolonging our exhalation time helps gas exchange in our lungs. Thus, the capacity of our lungs expands and makes it easier to expel secretions.

DIAPHRAGMATIC BREATHING (DEEP BREATHING EXERCISE)

We should do this exercise in a comfortable position. So sit in a chair in a comfortable position. Put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach. Then slowly take a deep breath through your nose and exhale. While doing these procedures, you should inflate your abdomen as much as possible. You should rest in between and repeat this process several times.

Coughing Exercise

Coughing exercise allows our lungs to be cleaned and secretions to be expelled. You can do this exercise together with deep breathing exercise. First, you should take a deep breath and bend your torso and contract your abdominal muscles. You should then cough vigorously several times. Coughing is most effective when sitting down and when your secretions are less concentrated.